Process of reducing metallic compounds and producing metallic carbids.



No.629,394. Patented luly 25, i899'.

l. L. ROBERTS.

PRGCESSUF BEDUGING METALLIC CDIPOUNDS AND FRUDUGING METALLIC CABBIDS.

(Application med any 2e, 1898. mnuwed may le, 1899.) (Ilo Rodel.) 2 Shouts-Sheet l.

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no. 929,394. Patented my 25, |999.y L. Ensems.

PBUGESS 0F BEDUCINIG METALLIC CUMPUUNDS AND PRUDUCING METALLIC CARBIDS.

(Appui-:ation led Kay 2B, 1896. Renewed May 1B, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modal.)

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. placing a mixture of carbon .and oxid in con-v UNITED STATES PATENT Orefice.

'y IsAiAH L. Renners, or NEw'YoRK, N. Y.

PROCSS F REDUING METALUC CMPOUNDS AND PRODUCING METALLIC CARBIDS.

'SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 629,394, dated July 25, 1899.

Application led May 26, 189B. Renewed'Ma'y 18, v1899. Serial No. 717,29l (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, IsAIAH L. ROBERTS, of the city of New York, (Brooklym) county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new andV useful Process for the Reduction of Metallic Compounds and the Production of Metallic- Carbids, of which the following is a full, true, and exact description', reference perature approximating to that of the arc can be obtained. vThe metal'reduce'd or the carbid formed is then allowed to fiow through the heated supports and is received in a vessel, from which it can be removed as desired.

Heretofore carbids have been made by heating oxids and carbon in the electric Yarc and some carbide by heating carbon and oxid with another metal in afurnace with ordinary heat. In my present method I produce carbide by tact with a conductorof electricity which will stand a heat sulhciently high to cause the reduction of' the oxid and the union of the metal and carbon. If the reducing metal will' notl combine with the carbon to form carbid, then the metal will be volatilized and c011- densed and obtained as such. I accomplish this result by the use of the apparatus' shown in the accompanying drawings and by the process described in the following specification, in whichv.

Figure 1 represents a'vertical cross-section of my apparatus; Fig. 2, .a plan view of my incandescing grate-bars; Fig. 3, avertical cross-section, corresponding to Figfl, of amodilcation of my apparatus; and Fig. et, a plan view of theincandescing apparatus shown inFig. 3. Y

Like letters of reference refer to like parts l throughout my drawings.

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A represents my furnace.

B B h' is a conductor.

C is afunnell. YD is a mixture of oxid and carbon.

' E is a tube for carrying away the carbid.

F is a hollow gate-valve for letting out an accumulation of the solid carbid or metal when formed, which may drop into a recep.

Y'tacle,l (shown at T.)

To construct and operatemy furnace, I

lproceed, as follows: AI build a furnace of firebricks, except the inner course of brick,which isknearest the substance to be heated, and this I make o'tcompressed magnesia O. Outside of the tire-brick I use a layer of slaked Y li-me or calcined magnesia a and a sheet-iron casing a over all, care being taken 'not to touch 'the conductor by the said casing. The

'inner lining of magnesia bricks will be sufi, Y

in comparison to the central portion l?, which p is made of barsor rods placed so near together that only a space of an eighth or a quarter or' an inch is left between them or such space as will be necessary for retaining the unconverted materials-- I may use a pan or vessel .Y A

instead, as will be more'fully explained hereinafter. Angular recesses Z2 are made in the massive ends B B, in which the bars b it as snugly vas possible and which latter can be removed when worn too much to be used. In order to make good connection between the ends of the bars b and the vleading-in conductors B B, I make use ofa graphite paste made thin enough with only water andvgraphite to illany space between theends-of the bars and vthe recesses which may exist by reason of the bars not fitting snugly, and I thus secure a goodcontact. .I suspend .a square carbon-chute H over the bars b byresting it on the brickwork by theflange 7i, and on this I place a funnel of metal C for carrying the mixture of carbon and. oXid D. `f The leading y in conductors have metal castings N N on roo their outer end overa shoulder, as'shown in l the drawings. The metal when cast around Y casting, into which a copper conductor n isV screwed.; vThe leading-in conductors may ass through t ackings of asbestos or similar inaterial p p. bushing r, whichv does not comein Contact with the surrounding metal covering of ther furnace.

:To operate the furnace and rvcarry out 'my process of making carbids,p1 proceed as follows: Irst place some small pieces ofY car'- bon or coal in the space between the vbars tov preventthe oXid and carbon mixture from vfalling throughfand then fill the chute H,

tnetallic'oxid desired to be'treated'and carbon in the proportions of their chemical equivalents for making the carbid, or, if I desire to produce metals, l use a mixture of carbon andy the oxide or salts in the proportions necessary.

or pan b to a sufficient heat to cause the union tion of the oxid, andl further heat the carbid thusy formed to iltsvrnel'ting-point, when it will by lgravitydrop .through the spaces in the Lbars b and the pieces of, small coal therein V Y f taken to keep the chute II Well filled with the and fall down into the space K, Where itwill rest on ythe gate-valve F. Care should be mixture, sok that no air can get into the cham- -ber K, which will be filled with carbonio-maid gas made freni the decomposition of the oxid .Y above the cond uctor-bars b. These'gases may -beqled away through the pipevP and used for any purpose, one of which is/ the displacement of the air from the Vessel T, which fits on the stirrup or frame L and which is filled with the carbid` by the opening of the gatevalve F. The displacement of the air is necessary, as the hot metal or carbid and the aforesaid gas coming in contact with the air in the vessel Would cause an explosion.

Figs. 3 and 4 show another form of conductor,'wherein instead of bars b, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pan b may be employed "for the incandescing part. As in the case of the bars, the pan has much less cross-section than the leading-in conductors, and there- They areV held in place bya l next pass a current of electricity through the conductor and bars or pan aforesaid insufficient quantity'to bringthe barsl `fore much Vmore resistance,-and will become Y in candescent,whi1e therlea'ding-in cond uctors do not become red-hot.V This pan should be madeof carbon if a heat isrequired for Working carbid, but if only for thereduction of metals, such asy sodiumvor zinc, then iron will do.

In any case the resistance of the -pan Y or bars and theirrcontents should be much v Vgreater thauftheleadinggsin conductors. This vform of furnace isinost rdesirable for: use in: the reduction of volatile metals, ysuch as zinc,v sodiumypotassinm, andy others. Vthese Inet-als, the exact mixture of carbon and 'Y through Vthe funnel C, with a mixture of thev To make oxide or salts of these metals should be made, f y

so that when rednctioiilis taking place con-v tinuously .no excess of either oxid or carbon f will'remain in the pan.KY Ther metals will vol-'f atilize when reducedV andhot enough and (Not shown.) Y Y y Y y y The carbonio, oxid formed rby reduction will escape,y throughfthe `tubeV P. f if one or the other'substance yabove named shouldbelcomeexcessive in the pain; then a sufficient` excess ofthe other shouldY be added tothe contents ofthe chute as Will be necessary to produce anequilibriurn. Y

' Vihat I claim as' my invention, and desire to secure Vby Letters Patent, is

The process of reduciugmetalsor forming carbids thereofwhich consists rin supporting the mixture of theiinely-divided metallicv compound and carbon upon anincandescent conductor, or conductors, passing a current of electricity through said conductor or conductors, fusing said materials, preventing the passage of the unfused mass, and allowing the fused metal or carbid to contin uously pass said conductor, substantially as specified.

vIn testimony -whereof I have signedmy name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ISAIAH L; ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

H. COUTANT, ANTHONY GREF.

will condense in the lower part of Vtheffur- .Y nace and can be drawn out, as is theocarbid, j by opening the ygate-valve E or, ,if molten, may be drawn out at; aV cockvin the tube f 

